Castration causes progressive reduction of length of the rabbit penis

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Abstract

Androgenic hormones are important in normal embryonic
development and maintenance of the
structural integ
rity of the penis
. This structural integrity is vital in the physiology of penile
erection. Its alteration may therefore lead to functional impairment resulting in erectile
dysfunction as seen in hypogonad
ic conditions. The link between hypogonadism and erectile
dysfunction is partly anatomical, involving alteration
of
normal structural elements of the penis
such as smooth muscle cells, connective tissue fibers and vascular sinusoids. The penile length,
alt
hough considered controversial issue, may also be
influenced by such
tissue alterations.
U
nderstanding of the alterations of the penile size in hypogonadism is important in clinical
examination
of hypogonadic patients
.
The aim of this study was t
o describe
the changes in the
rabbit penile length after castration.
Fifteen adult male rabbits were used for the study. Nine of
these were castrated under local anesthesia to induce hypogonadism and six remained as
controls.
The penile lengths
were measured using
a digital Ver
nier caliper (accuracy 0.5mm).
There was progressive
reduction in the average non
-
erect penile length
by 0.7%, 3.4% and
8.7% in the castrated group at the end of the third, sixth and ninth week respectively.
Castration
causes progressive redu
ction in the non
-
erect penile length
.
Such length reduction
may impair the normal penile physiology hence contribute to anatomical basis of erecti
le
dysfunction in hypogonadism